Rant: Stop telling me what mermaids SHOULD look like!

[AniaR]

I just wanna rant for a minute. I get so freaking tired of people (and in my experience it has been mostly men) attacking me over what they think I *should* look like as a mermaid. The knee debate, the hair debate, the boobs debate. Like, shut. up. lol

I am of the mind that the mermaid mythos has existed for thousands and thousands of years. There are literary and art depictions that date back for SO long and they cross practically every culture. Mermaid myths -as I have researched at great lengths for a workshop I give locally- change from area to area, and mermaids are given a wide variety of attributes.

Mermaids. Aren't. Real. As much as we'd like them to be. They are fictional characters, and as a fictional character that we are portraying, I think we all have the right to decide just exactly what a mermaid is to us and how they look.

I get the knee debate. But let's be honest, mermaids if they existed- we could go on with the "ifs" forever. Would they be mammals? Part Reptile? Part fish? There are loads of animals with bones and joints and body parts they don't use. Whales and dolphins have leg bones! They look like people fetuses in utero for heaven's sake. They have fully formed hand bones. Don't tell me I can't have knees. Really, in a narrow mind- there's no possibility that some species of mermaids may need the ability to bend? lol. What bothers me even more, is okay I can wrap my head around that. I can get in your fantasy world in your mind mermaids are this narrow thing, with long hair, no knees, giant bare breasted boobs. But in REAL LIFE where you know I have knees, I need to bend, and couldnt possible move myself in a tail without my knees, you're going to shit all over me and harass me because I have a body party I can't magically make disappear to fit YOUR fantasy. Give me a break.

The mermaid tails that restrict the knees (the h20 styled ones) are DANGEROUS. They restrict the actor's movements so greatly they require special training, and loads of safety divers. A tail like that would *never* work for the intended purpose of a professional mermaid. And even still with all that effort to make the tails look like they have no knees, knees still show up from time to time.

Then we get to the boob thing. The "real mermaids don't wear sea shells' well "f" you buddy. Humanoids all over the world through all time wear some sort of adornment or clothing for protection to keep warm. You're telling me you can't fathom a world where mermaids would want to cover their breasts? Geesh. You have no clue what it's like to have cold boobs, or fear some animal is gonna chomp on your nips lol

Then the long hair thing which I've addressed before- totally impractical. lol.

The point I am getting at here is that WE are the mermaids. We decide what our persona entails. There's no right or wrong answer. We can justify our opinions and that's fine. But it's like debating exactly how faeries would work and function. Or giants. Or Santa. Or whatever. I find a lot of these men (and yeah, it's 99% men I encounter online who get all insanely aggressive about this) want this unobtainable fantasy and it reminds me a lot about how straight men like the unobtainable fantasy of women in general. I honestly can't get over how irate these guys have gotten over a pair of knees. Like it ruins the whole fantasy for them. geesh.

It doesn't so much bother me that people have different ideas of what a mermaid is. It bothers me that a certain amount of people seem to have this narrow view and wont accept anything else, and somehow you're less of a mermaid performer because you don't match their fantasy in their head. CLIENTS AND KIDS COULD CARE LESS. I've never had a kid give two cares about wrinkles, about knees, about anything really. Kids are just so freaking happy to swim with a mermaid. If they bring up something, I redirect it and move on. No, it's not the clients, no it's not the kids, it's the middleaged mermaid obsessed sometimes mermaid fetished men on youtube and FB. lol who literally get IRATE. (couldn't find anything more productive to get mad about) They justify harassing many of us, because we don't fit their fantasy.

No offense to any awesome men who are respectful, this has just been my personal experience over the past 8 years online. I think I've only ever had 1 girl ask about knees on mermaids lol.

[Samantha Siren]

Well said Raina!

[SeaGlass Siren]

Mermaids. Aren't. Real.


^ THAT.

[Silin]

You are right.

[MerMatt]

Well said.

[Miyu]

HEAR, HEAR!!!

I've seen a few negative comments about knees/tail gap from younger folks, but it's all the little mermaid-obsessed young girls, and more often than not I see them on Trina's videos LOL :P

[Chrissy]

Love this!

[PearlieMae]

Brava! Well said!

[Mermaid Galene]

The point I am getting at here is that WE are the mermaids. We decide what our persona entails. There's no right or wrong answer.

I am SO on board with you here, Raina! Whenever someone gets into a heated debate about how mermaids are/would be/should be, I just stop listening. Mermaids are imaginary creatures, and as such, they can take any form that can be imagined. The whole point of imagination is that anything is possible!

[AniaR]

exactly Galene! I just have had to deal with a few people in the last week who have gotten AGGRESSIVE with me and it's like, who do you think you are??

[Merman Dan]

C'mon... even Ariel's sisters were individuals:
http://img4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120505011322/p__/protagonist/images/0/00/Ariel-s-Beginning-ariels-sisters-20630870-998-561.jpg

Never mind MerFest ;)
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0iQAigsGioc/Us3gUp-12WI/AAAAAAAAFEE/6k3pv7LPECg/s1600/nc+merfest+tails+up.jpg

For that matter, not fish in the sea are identical Marine Fish - LiveAquaria (http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/aquarium-fish-supplies.cfm?c=15)

[Mermaid Wesley]

I had a little girl ask about my knees in a fabric tail once. I said: those are my tail bones! She said: I knew that! And then asked me something about talking to fish. Kids don't care.


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[Mermaid Galene]

I suspect that some of those men are just expressing their own misogyny - just one more way to demean and hate on women.

[Donella]

I went to a mer workshop at a con where I was told not to move my knees and I was like how am I supposed to move!? I've seen animated mers bend their tails to move and it looks very similar to knees. Just a bit more fluid.

[Mermaid Wesley]

I suspect that some of those men are just expressing their own misogyny - just one more way to demean and hate on women.

Oh I'm sure that's true. Not to mention, being in tail in real life or online makes you an easy target for those kinds of people. Ugh why do people suck?


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[deepblue]

I have to say, for the whole knee thing, I'm always pretty damn impressed by how fluidly Raina moves in water- I'm sure we've all noticed- and that someone would STILL find reason to say 'hey I see your knees'... wow. SMH.

And you know, if mermaids WERE real... these supposedly grown up people would still be talking to someone who is performing AS one, not who is one. What on earth are they expecting?

[Chrissy]

I would really like these people who are so quick to judge to 1: bind their legs and swim 2: bind their legs is 25-35lbs of silicone and swim 3: swim in a silicone tail and look pretty, comfortable and elegant at the same time. Then when they have mastered how tough and demanding this is, then they can pass their stupid fantasy judgement on me. Anyone who takes on this lifestyle, hobby, job or why ever you mermaid can tell you that it isn't not glamorous, it is not easy, but we all love it for whatever our reasons are. I think we all are amazing at being mermaids! Fins up

[deepblue]

If I could write comedy, I'd be all over a vigilante team of mers kidnapping rude commenters for just that sort of lesson. :D

[Slee]

:-(

[Mermaid Jaffa]

Only once, just once, I heard someone whisper, "She's Chinese."

I wish more shows had ethnic mermaids, instead of the typical blonde hair, Caucasian types. And mermaids and mermen of all ages, not just the beautiful and young ones.

Yea totally agree. These naysayers don't understand how difficult it is to move like that underwater. Even in just my fabric tail (my strength atm isn't all that good, still working on it!), my family is like, "Has Irene gone crazy?" I tell them what a good workout and exercise it is, and they are like the same as Raina's post, "I can see your knees" and "I saw you put it on".

Well *I* never said I was real, and 2, I do it for the exercise, and 3 they're always telling me I should go out more and do some exercise, now they complain that I shouldn't be doing that cause only crazy people want to do that.

Carps that! I do what I want when I want!

[SeaGlass Siren]

^ that.

[Genevieve]

Well said, Raina! And everyone else here, for that matter. I especially liked that you got into this:


There are loads of animals with bones and joints and body parts they don't use. Whales and dolphins have leg bones! They look like people fetuses in utero for heaven's sake. They have fully formed hand bones. Don't tell me I can't have knees.

It would be so satisfying to respond to one of these guys by being repulsed by the notion that he has a tail bone under his skin. Or a comprehensive list of all the things that prevent him from fitting your vision of a "real" man. I'm sure there would be plenty to work with. Not having anything better to do than complaining about knees or covered breasts (Really? They've got to know how pervylicious that sounds) is a good start.

[MerShellly]

To be honest my mind has gone blank. I can't even think of what to say because I had no idea there were people out there that are just SO stupid! It blows my mind! I hate how people are so narrow-minded too. I discovered that Keke Palmer has become the first African American Cinderella on Broadway. I know Cinderella isn't a mermaid, but maybe we can start pointing people in the right direction that Just because a female, red-haired, no-kneed mermaid (Ariel) is what they've seen, doesn't mean that's what it HAS to be! That's similar to what Keke Palmer said in an interview, although of course she was talking about Cinderella.

[Genevieve]

^There needs to be mer-diversity for that reason. Education.

[Merman Dan]

But I thought mermaids were supposed to look like this!
http://hoaxdata.s3.amazonaws.com/1842real_feejee.jpg

[Genevieve]

Thank you, P.T. Barnum.

[MermaidCelesteFL]

From the experience I've had, I've had a lot of people thrilled to see me in my tail, just wondering how I do it or where I got it... but it does bother me that when it comes to performing, people seem fixated on body type and long hair. My old manager told me to keep growing out my hair and get promo pics done when it got longer to pull in more clients. Once I gained a little weight and my stomach rolled out of the top of my tail a bit, he dropped me and didn't tell me. The clients didn't mind, the people at the springs didn't mind... just my old manager.

Because mermaids have no fat.

[SeaGlass Siren]

course they do how else do they insulate themselves? with seal skin? :P

i'm kidding lol

[Jeblily]

I LOVE how they seem to think mermaids must have this long flowing hair... well let me tell you swimming with really long hair is a health hazard in itself!!!! I swim and my hair will wrap around my neck and I have to peel it off just for a breath. Not to mention all the poor sea creatures and seaweed pieces I constantly have stuck in my hair.

So if you like having a mer performer who constantly has large mops of hair over her face and mostly just looks like some sea witch/ hag, well good for you I would rather not scare all the poor children!!!!

[Mermaid Margo]

I've had the knees debate a few time with the kiddies; it's to be expected. But a couple of kids really threw me when they said I couldn't be a real mermaid because my hair is so short! I'm with you Jebilly! It's so much easier with my hair this length, and I'm no less of a mermaid for it! (I've also gotten the same accusation because my hair was once black, and is still dark. It really amazes me how close-minded some people are).

[Genevieve]

^I can't believe that the hair issue comes up more than the knees. Come to think of it, I don't think I've seen anyone mention people questioning their heels being visible -- that's what I'm always self-conscious about. I guess I'll be okay as long as I have long blonde hair. That makes me kind of sad.

[Vrindavana Starfish]

Mermaids. Aren't. Real.


^ THAT.


I disagree. I saw one in the wild. :) By the way, her tail bent at the "knees," so even if they are biological creatures after all, then we're still doing it right. :P

Also, the whales/seals with finger and leg bones is dead-on. Who cares how anatomically accurate it is? Even if we had biological samples to go off of, we're still working with our interpretations, which is our right.

[Mermaid Reiko]

I understand and the fact that mermaids would be probably bald or something. That's probably in there fantasy too...

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[SeaGlass Siren]

I disagree. I saw one in the wild. :) By the way, her tail bent at the "knees," so even if they are biological creatures after all, then we're still doing it right. :P

Also, the whales/seals with finger and leg bones is dead-on. Who cares how anatomically accurate it is? Even if we had biological samples to go off of, we're still working with our interpretations, which is our right.
pics or it didn't happen :P

[Vrindavana Starfish]

pics or it didn't happen :P
I wish I had some! My friend and I skipped school to go snorkeling for shells after a big storm cleared. We were 12, her mom drove us to the beach (skipping school for beach time was considered educational and therefore a valid excuse to our moms :D ) and the water was crystal-clear and flat. I heard something, looked up, and there was a young-looking mermaid with black curly hair and a blue fin 2 feet in front of me and looking at me. I was stunned. Then my friend saw her, the mermaid looked over her shoulder and saw my friend, there was a cloud of bubbles and the mermaid was just gone.

We were the only ones on the beach, you could see in every direction, and she was just...gone.

[-Annwyn-]

swimming with really long hair is a health hazard in itself!!!! I swim and my hair will wrap around my neck and I have to peel it off just for a breath. Not to mention all the poor sea creatures and seaweed pieces I constantly have stuck in my hair.


So by that logic, long haired mermaids like Marla, Merlissa and myself should either be seriously injured or dead as a result of our long tresses? lol!

Speaking for myself, as a long haired mer, I've never had an issue with my hair. I've pretty much mastered how to move my hair to get the effects I'm after. :)

Dita Von Teese said it best "You can be the ripest, juiciest peach on the tree and there is always going to be someone who hates peaches".

[SeaGlass Siren]

I wish I had some! My friend and I skipped school to go snorkeling for shells after a big storm cleared. We were 12, her mom drove us to the beach (skipping school for beach time was considered educational and therefore a valid excuse to our moms :D ) and the water was crystal-clear and flat. I heard something, looked up, and there was a young-looking mermaid with black curly hair and a blue fin 2 feet in front of me and looking at me. I was stunned. Then my friend saw her, the mermaid looked over her shoulder and saw my friend, there was a cloud of bubbles and the mermaid was just gone.

We were the only ones on the beach, you could see in every direction, and she was just...gone.
It was probably one of us lol.

[PearlieMae]

So by that logic, long haired mermaids like Marla, Merlissa and myself should either be seriously injured or dead as a result of our long tresses? lol!

Speaking for myself, as a long haired mer, I've never had an issue with my hair. I've pretty much mastered how to move my hair to get the effects I'm after. :)

Dita Von Teese said it best "You can be the ripest, juiciest peach on the tree and there is always going to be someone who hates peaches".


Those of us with long hair know how to deal with long hair...we are just used to it by the time it gets to that length! Aside from sitting on it out of the water, my only issue with it is that sometimes the vortices created from swimming will spin sections of my hair into dreads and it takes forever to untangle it without tearing it. Maybe that's why there are so many images of long haired mermaids sitting on the rocks messing with their hair.

As for people who have a problem with short haired mermaids, humans are stupid. That's one reason we choose to be mermaids! :mermaid kiss:

[Mermaid Reiko]

I LOVE how they seem to think mermaids must have this long flowing hair... well let me tell you swimming with really long hair is a health hazard in itself!!!! I swim and my hair will wrap around my neck and I have to peel it off just for a breath. Not to mention all the poor sea creatures and seaweed pieces I constantly have stuck in my hair.

So if you like having a mer performer who constantly has large mops of hair over her face and mostly just looks like some sea witch/ hag, well good for you I would rather not scare all the poor children!!!!
I also swim with long hair and after awhile you just know how to handle it.

[Jeblily]

So by that logic, long haired mermaids like Marla, Merlissa and myself should either be seriously injured or dead as a result of our long tresses? lol!

LOL, no I was mostly joking about myself. I have butt length hair and it always wraps around my neck!!! The worst part for me is when I go to the beach and fish swim into my hair... It's cool when your swimming but when I want to leave I have to pick out fish!!! I love both long and short hair mers, my point is that both are equally realistic!! :group hug:

[Miyu]

I understand and the fact that mermaids would be probably bald or something. That's probably in there fantasy too...

I've been highly considering that thought as well... Bald mers just seem so right! :D Not only am I a mer, but I also feel an affinity to Starseeds, and for some reason hair just seems odd on my head... I freaking LOVE everyone else's hair, and I really want mine to be the same, but it seems really weird on myself, hence this recent development:

24733

Frell it, I'ma be a freaky, bald, tribal mer, and I don't care what people think about it because I'm not out to fit into someone's preconceived mermaid fantasy, I'm here to create entirely new ones!

[Echidna]

Mermaids. Aren't. Real.


Isn't it grand how people will say that about mermaids, fairies, unicorns, pagan deities and so on and so forth, because "no one has ever seen one", yet at the same time insist there's an invisible dude in the sky no one has ever seen either.

[SeaGlass Siren]

^ i don't believe in said invisible (and possibly malevolent) dude in the sky (no offense to christians/catholics/ etc...)

They're fun to imagine, but to be honest... :| what are the chances of them being real? (maybe the unicorns... i mean if narwhals exist and other one horned creatures, why not a deformed horse?)

[Mermaid Reiko]

I've been highly considering that thought as well... Bald mers just seem so right! :D Not only am I a mer, but I also feel an affinity to Starseeds, and for some reason hair just seems odd on my head... I freaking LOVE everyone else's hair, and I really want mine to be the same, but it seems really weird on myself, hence this recent development:

Frell it, I'ma be a freaky, bald, tribal mer, and I don't care what people think about it because I'm not out to fit into someone's preconceived mermaid fantasy, I'm here to create entirely new ones!

It won't be freaky but I watched this mer documentary and it had me thinking they would be bald. I would rock that style. I understand not feeling right, if I could lop off my chest right now I would but alas I must wait until that day comes. Until then I'll just be this blob. :/

[SeaGlass Siren]

I've been highly considering that thought as well... Bald mers just seem so right! :D Not only am I a mer, but I also feel an affinity to Starseeds, and for some reason hair just seems odd on my head... I freaking LOVE everyone else's hair, and I really want mine to be the same, but it seems really weird on myself, hence this recent development:

24733

Frell it, I'ma be a freaky, bald, tribal mer, and I don't care what people think about it because I'm not out to fit into someone's preconceived mermaid fantasy, I'm here to create entirely new ones!
Miyu i love you :D that looks amazing on you <3

[Vrindavana Starfish]

It was probably one of us lol.

:) Well then, one of you is responsible for one of the best memories of my childhood. :D

[Mermaid Lorelei]

Miyu, do you watch Farscape?

[Sandra Siren]

I suspect that some of those men are just expressing their own misogyny - just one more way to demean and hate on women.

This! OMG! This week has been one long crapfest filled with misogynists, and this just made my day!

[Vrindavana Starfish]

I have not had the experience of having someone tell me that my knees are wrong, or my fin is wrong, simply because I don't have a fin yet. But I had been laughed at and told over and over as an overweight child that I couldn't even get a fin because mermaids were supposed to be slim and beautiful, so it was stupid of me to ask for one. I know, total jerks, every one of them. I LOVE the diversity of merfolk I see here! It means so much to see mermaids/mermen of all shapes and colors. It's so inspiring.

As a ballerina, I've actually had several men say to me that it isn't difficult to dance, dancers are sissies, and it isn't athletic, because it's for girls and looks easy, and that I can't be a ballerina because I'm muscular and not a waif. They wouldn't last 5 minutes at the barre and not 30 seconds in a pair of pointe shoes. Swimming in a tail while holding your breath underwater has to be similar to looking graceful and pain-free while spinning on your toes and smiling, I imagine. People think that because you've worked hard to develop the skill to make something look beautiful and effortless, that it must be easy and all your hard work is dismissed.

[Mermaid Kelda]

People think that because you've worked hard to develop the skill to make something look beautiful and effortless, that it must be easy and all your hard work is dismissed.
:clap: well said! Mermaids don't get enough credit, I feel, other than from the rest of us. And even we are too critical sometimes. It's bleeding hard to look pretty underwater in a twenty pound slab of silicone with bursting lungs!

[Miyu]

Seaglass Siren: Awwww thanks :D I actually was not expecting it to look that good.

Lorelei: FRELL YES I watch Farscape, it's tied (with Firefly) for my first favorite Sci-Fi show!!!

Reiko: Ugh, I totally feel you there... Seriously. It sucks to get told that you really shouldn't get that surgery just because everyone else likes them. :/

Vrindavana: HOW could anyone ever think ballet is easy??? It's pretty much the hardest dance out there, and it seriously takes such a toll on your body... I have a ballerina friend, and her feet make my mertender (a body mod artist) cringe! D: IMO, I think the more muscular you are, the better at ballet you're going to be, because you risk less damage to your body than if you were tiny and breakable! I get so upset when people just brush away all that hard work (dance, mermaiding, pretty much any of the performing arts) just because someone's gotten good enough to make it "look easy".

I totally agree with Melaina, I'm still amazed at all the lovely mers who manage to look so pretty and effortless underwater... :eek:

[Mermaid Sirenia]

LOL, no I was mostly joking about myself. I have butt length hair and it always wraps around my neck!!! The worst part for me is when I go to the beach and fish swim into my hair... It's cool when your swimming but when I want to leave I have to pick out fish!!! I love both long and short hair mers, my point is that both are equally realistic!! :group hug:

I have had this problem before! One time while I was swimming a baby crab decided to make a home in my hair, it was so sweet! I was almost sad to say goodbye to it LOL


~Mermaid Sirenia~

[Vrindavana Starfish]

As far as people dissing the difficult things we do as "easy," or talking crap about how we "should" look, I've found that these are the people who are deeply, deeply unhappy with who they are, and have taken to trying to pull others down to make themselves feel a little higher— not better, but higher than someone else. There's a difference. Ultimately, these people don't bother me much anymore, in the sense that I can't seriously take what they say personally. How could I? They don't know themselves, so how could they know anything about me? But it does make me sad. Those are sad people feeling pain on levels they can't understand and are lashing out in subliminal ways, both at others and themselves. What an awful way to live.

[Genevieve]

I also swim with long hair and after awhile you just know how to handle it.

Me too. It never looks like that scene from The Little Mermaid when she comes up for air, but if I bob my head before I surface, it at least stays out of my face.

The thinking that you need to have long hair to be a mermaid is outdated in the same way that thinking all women must have long hair (and all men must have short hair) is outdated.

[Mary Marine]

I confess, I've been growing my hair out to look more "mermaidy" but that's because I want to be able to do the topless-hair-covering-the-boobs pose. :mermaid kiss: Honestly, if people want to argue how a mermaid "should" look then we should all be hairless, scaleless, and covered in an insulating layer of blubber!

[Genevieve]

Honestly, if people want to argue how a mermaid "should" look then we should all be hairless, scaleless, and covered in an insulating layer of blubber!

That sounds like a tumor. But, biologically accurate.

[Echidna]

the topless-hair-covering-the-boobs pose.

it's a lovely pose, and nothing looks more mermaidy imo, but I wouldn't recommend doing that in public (or putting up a photo of it), because of how mental people get as soon as a woman isn't wearing a top.

(guess we should be thankful we're not required to wear a head-to-toe sack aka burka...yet.)

[Mermaid Galene]

Off topic, but Farscape - LOVED that show. Whatever happened to the movie they were going to film to resolve the cliffhanger that ended the series?

[Lucinda]

Off topic, but Farscape - LOVED that show. Whatever happened to the movie they were going to film to resolve the cliffhanger that ended the series?

You haven't seen "The Peacekeeper Wars", have you? It's the miniseries that they did to wrap up the story:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farscape:_The_Peacekeeper_Wars

[PhaylennMurúch]

I'd love to be able to do the topless mermaid pose but my boobs are gigantic and my hair just isn't long enough to cover nipples. I swear I've been trying to grow my hair for two years now and it never gets any longer than it is now


as far as how mermaids should look. IMO it's how mermaids should FEEL, I just went to my very first pod swim and got to try on a loaner tail (Thanks, Mermaid Atlantis!) and monofin. Let me tell you, that was the FIRST time in many many years that I didn't feel self conscious in a swimsuit. I felt graceful and beautiful even in those first few moments when I'm sure I looked like the aquatic equivalent of a newborn giraffe.

[Vrindavana Starfish]

I'd love to be able to do the topless mermaid pose but my boobs are gigantic and my hair just isn't long enough to cover nipples. I swear I've been trying to grow my hair for two years now and it never gets any longer than it is now


as far as how mermaids should look. IMO it's how mermaids should FEEL, I just went to my very first pod swim and got to try on a loaner tail (Thanks, Mermaid Atlantis!) and monofin. Let me tell you, that was the FIRST time in many many years that I didn't feel self conscious in a swimsuit. I felt graceful and beautiful even in those first few moments when I'm sure I looked like the aquatic equivalent of a newborn giraffe.


That's how I felt when I got my first pair of pointe shoes and took to them right away. I was the oldest in class (21 in a class of 14-yr-olds) and largest in the class, and felt like the most fluid and beautiful. It's like something clicked.

Long hair is a tricky beast. After a lifetime of only being able to get mine to bra-strap length, I'm now almost to classic (bottom of my butt.) I had to totally change how I cared for it to get here though, and I go through a metric ton of coconut oil to keep it nice. You have the most gorgeous red hair. I always wanted red hair. :)

[PhaylennMurúch]

lol at the moment my hair is blue

[AptaMer]

course they do how else do they insulate themselves? with seal skin? :P


That's selkies, SeaGlass!

You have to be seriously cold resistant to swim in the seas off Scotland or Ireland.

[Vrindavana Starfish]

lol at the moment my hair is blue

Even better!!

[Zirconmermaid]

For all you short haired mermaids out there, here is an answer for you: In the original story of The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Anderson, the mermaids sisters cut off their hair to get a knife she can use to kill the prince, which will give her back her tail. So - there you are, short haired classic mermaids.

[merstorm]

I know people can be rude there will allways be some of them and they are hard to get away from usally they post more then once to push there way onto people. Being a merman that I am I feel i dont have to do anything that is in the norm lol I am way off the chart first people tell me I am nuts then there is no such thing as a merman. I look around and say well you just met one hehehe. No one will help me take photos because I am a guy and they sure dont want me to show I am diffrant to heck with them. I am a merman

merstorm

[Skytroque]

Merstorm: I understand you on photos, it's tough to find somebody to take pics. If you're ever at Dragoncon, I have a friend that does photography and could probably do a quick shoot for you - the pool at the Sheraton is great scenery, saline too. That's how I have my pics.

Back towards topic: short hair, long hair, seashells, topless, knees, no knees, more or less fat, I don't frankly care -how- you enjoy being a merfolk, as long as you have fun and don't physically endanger others. Me and a friend were discussing the tops issue, if mermaids were real what would they wear? Our conclusion was: who cares? (I could go more in depth but I feel that's derailing a little) I actually debated using scale maille to make myself an orange top kind of like Aquaman...though the fact I can already sink like a stone without trying me thinks that's a bad idea.

Miyu: great picture there. It may be slight sleep deprivation, but I saw the gray sorta circle that seems to be behind your head there and thought "force field! Self contained pressurized air supply for deeper diving!" Still great picture.

Although, I theorize that merfolk can be very real, besides, what better way to convince the land base races you don't exist than by revealing just enough of your tribe to make anyone who sees you think they're crazy? I imagine it's the talk of Atlantis comedy hour. Hahaha!
Ok I'm done now.

[Mermaid Reiko]

Honestly I think you should dress how you want. This includes your hair! The water is hard on your hair and so if you want to wear it short than wear it short. It's your body in the end.

[Miyu]

You haven't seen "The Peacekeeper Wars", have you? It's the miniseries that they did to wrap up the story:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farscape:_The_Peacekeeper_Wars

OMG, I think Galene might need to have a show binge here shortly... ;)

[Merman Lir]

thank you for posting that, Raina! I've been looking at your vlogs for a couple days now. I'm just getting ready to buy my first merman tail and I've been nervous because I am "follicully challenged"... it's bad enough in real life being self conscious and feeling unattractive, but it almost stopped me from joining the mer-community. would people accept a bald merman? But that's who I am so get over it, right!?

[Merman Dan]

Chris, do you feel that in your heart you are a merman? Go stand in front of a mirror. See that? That's what a merman looks like. :)

[Sherielle]

Honestly, why would a merperson have hair anyway. It serves no use underwater. I have no problem with bald mermen or mermaids

[Mermaid Reiko]

thank you for posting that, Raina! I've been looking at your vlogs for a couple days now. I'm just getting ready to buy my first merman tail and I've been nervous because I am "follicully challenged"... it's bad enough in real life being self conscious and feeling unattractive, but it almost stopped me from joining the mer-community. would people accept a bald merman? But that's who I am so get over it, right!?

Chris, you will be beautiful in your tail, hair or not. Remember bald is beautiful<3

[Mermaid Nerida]

I think bald is a hairstyle...

[MermaidCelesteFL]

I think bald=more badass.

[AniaR]

what's the word for when something is aerodynamic but for water? lol that's what it is!

[Starfrit]

I guess... Hydrodynamic?? That's my closest guess!

[Mermaid Nerida]

I think bald=more badass.

YES! That's what I was getting at. I didn't really get to finish (Dad was having a coughing fit, and I had to get his rescue inhaler...), but, bald is cool! If I were a dude (Just sayin') I would probably shave my head to be bald...

[Nyx]

Really though, imagine how cool it would be to have bald merfolk who put markings or designs on their heads as accessories!
You can't really use they typical head accessories, even with my short hair clips just don't stick, but with no hair in the way you could totally do some really cool design with waterproof paint/makeup/fake tattoos and have a jellyfish or a shark or a even whale decorating your head!

Edit: I should probably point out that my profile photo is a little out-dated, I cut all my hair off recently :D.

[Talia]

I guess... Hydrodynamic?? That's my closest guess!

Absolutely correct!

[Talia]

Me and a friend were discussing the tops issue, if mermaids were real what would they wear? Our conclusion was: who cares? (I could go more in depth but I feel that's derailing a little).

I have always thought that if mermaid were real, why the heck would they bother to cover up? I know I LOVE to swim in the ocean without bra: my boobs feel free, they don't weigh as they do on land, and the caress of the ocean is awesome!

Women wearing clothes that cover their breasts/nipples is an imposition of society, somehow related to prudeness and ancient times "moral": A naked woman is sinful. A clothed woman is chaste and pure. Today a woman without bra is "a distraction". See how even today breastfeeding mothers are scolded by people just because they are seeing a bit of boob while their babies feed. Boobs were made for that, and mothers feeding babies are forced to seclude in bathrooms and "feeding rooms". WTF people, is just a boob, get over yourself, we ALL have them!

But of course, male nipples are perfectly OK. Because they are not big and do not have fat tissue beneath them. :soap box:

[PearlieMae]

[You know what they say about bald men... "It takes a good man to grow it, but it takes a better man to keep it rubbed off" ;)


...But of course, male nipples are perfectly OK. Because they are not big and do not have fat tissue beneath them. :soap box:

You haven't seen that many man boobs, have you?

[Talia]

You haven't seen that many man boobs, have you?

:lol: